JUAN BOSCÁN: BIOGRAPHY AND WORKS - LITERATURE - 2025

Juan Boscán was one of the most important figures in Spanish Renaissance poetry. This Catalan poet and translator wrote the first poem of the Spanish Golden Age that dealt with the theme of mythology. Furthermore, Boscán was the first bard in the country to compose verses in the manner of the Italian lyrical Petrarca.

His successors in the 16th century included some of the most brilliant and inspired lyrical minds in Spain. His art appears in Spain after a period of stagnation of the Fine Letters. During most of this period, the increasing pomp and formality of the court made the poetry artificial and insincere as well.

The works of Boscán and some of Garcilaso de la Vega

After several generations of young Spaniards educated in Italian universities, a process of cultural refinement began. Juan Boscán received that influence and projected it in his work. From the beginning of his literary life, Boscán had his inspiration in the Catalan poet, Auzasa Mark.

He also had a lot of support from his disciples: Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Garcilaso de la Vega. By introducing the hendecasyllable verse (clearly Italian structure), Juan Boscán enriched Spanish poetry with his compositions, thus obtaining the wealth of Italian literary themes incorporated into poetry.

Biography

Birth

The date of the birth of this illustrious Catalan is not exactly known. However, all literary specialists agree that it was sometime in the late 15th century, between 1487 and 1492.

Born in Barcelona into a noble family, he was one of the three children of Joan Valentí Boscán, a public official; and Violant Almogáver. The names of the other two sisters were Violante and Leonor.

Lifetime

Not much information is available about the early days of Boscán's life. It is known that he orphaned his father in 1492. Furthermore, it is known that in 1507 he was sent by his family to the court of King Ferdinand II the Catholic to complete his education.

On the death of the king, Juan Boscán became in the service of the Duke of Alva, serving as guardian for his grandson. In 1522 he participated with the artist Garcilaso in the failed attempt to liberate the island of Rodas from the power of the Turks.

Then, in 1526 he traveled to Granada to attend the wedding of Carlos V with Isabel de Portugal. This trip defined his future as a poet. There he met Andrea Navagero, ambassador of Venice, who in a conversation with Boscán encouraged him to use the Italian meter in his works.

On his return he continued serving Carlos V; he was a poet of the imperial court. He kept working on his poetic work making adaptations of the Italian style. During this time he had a lot of contact with Garcilaso de la Vega.

On August 7, 1539, he married Dona Ana Girón. From this marriage union he had three daughters: Beatriz, Mariana and Violante.

Death

After his marriage, the poet Juan Boscán spent the rest of his life retired from political life, although he made sporadic appearances at court.

At times he supervised the education of the young Duke of Alva. Boscán's death took place in Barcelona around the year 1542.

Plays

The most important merit of Boscán was in the renewal of the Spanish meter of poetry. His revolution also reached the stanza; in this field he dedicated himself to the creation of royal octaves, sonnets and triplets.

Similarly, prose felt the effects of its reform. In this she also adopted themes from Italian literature, which remained in the Spanish kingdom until the arrival of Romanticism.

His most famous works were published after his death by his widow Ana Girón de Rebolledo around 1543. These appeared published under the title of The works of Boscán and some of Garcilaso de la Vega.

Two transcendental poems appear in the work. One of these is entitled "Hero and Leandro", considered the first Spanish mythological poem. In this a tragic love story is told.

On the other hand, his other outstanding poem is the one entitled "Eighth rhyme." In this lyrical work the verse known as the royal octave was introduced in Spain.

Poetry and sonnets

From his collection of poems and sonnets we can mention A la tristeza, El nightingale who loses his children, What will I do and what will I do (Song V).

In the same way, this collection includes the titles: Sonnets, Love is good in itself naturally and Loaded I go from me wherever I go.

Likewise, they were very well received Like the sad man who is judged to death, Like one who receives pleasure in dreaming, Sweet dreaming and sweet grief and Great time I was so damaged.

He brilliantly closes his collection of poems with Ha long since my misery lasts, I was never so happy with love, Who says that absence causes oblivion, If the heart of a true lover and I am like one who lives in the desert.

Tribute to his friend Garcilaso

Although he always showed extreme sensitivity when composing, the death of his close friend unleashed much more intense feelings in him.

These are reflected in the work that Garcilaso titled, that you always aspired to good, or sonnet CXXIX, written in his honor:

"Garcilaso, that you always aspired to good

and always with such force you followed him, that a few steps after him you ran, in everything you fully reached him, tell me: why didn't you take me after you

When did you leave this mortal land?

Why, when you climbed to the top, did you climb, here in this lowliness did you leave me?

Well I think that, if you could

to change something that is ordered, in that case you won't forget me:

that you would like to honor me with your side

or at least you would say goodbye to me;

or, if not, then you will return for me ”.

Other works

In the genre of translations Juan Boscán also had an outstanding performance. His work The Courtier by Baltasar Castiglione is remembered. She also stood out in the epistolary genre with her work Epistle to Don Diego Hurtado de Mendoza.

References

1. Bartleby. (s / f). Juan Boscán (d. 1542). Critical and Biographical Introduction. Taken from bartleby.com.
2. The biography. (s / f). Biography of Juan Boscán Almogáver. Taken from thebiography.us.
3. Biography and lives. (s / f). Juan Boscán. Taken from biografiasyvidas.com.
4. Vladimirova, V. (s / f). Juan Boscan Almogaver. The eternal themes of Renaissance. Taken from bomondinvest.com.
5. De la Fuente, M. (2015, August 18). Juan Boscán, the hero of Spanish literature. Taken from abc.es.l
6. Villoria, V. (2014, March 14). Sonnet CXXIX. Boscan. Taken from lenguayliteratura.org